The partisan rancor that now plagues Washington is largely a result of the way Democrats governed during the first two years of the Obama administration, the conservative website
Townhall.com reports.
It is interesting to note that calls by the Democrats for bipartisanship, and President Barack Obama’s oft-conveyed “balanced approach” when talking about debt-ceiling negotiations, seem counter to a previous mindset that helped spawn tea parties across the country — as well as the results of last November’s election, Townhall.com says.
When seeking cooperation from the GOP, Democrats now often invoke the name of Ronald Reagan, and his ability to reach across the aisle as president in negotiating everything from tax reform to defense spending.
But the Democrats often take Reagan’s statements out of context, according to Townhall.com.
For example, MSNBC’s Chris Matthews once quoted part of a 1987 Reagan speech:
“Congress consistently brings the government to the edge of default. This brinkmanship threatens the holders of government bonds and those who rely on Social Security and veterans benefits. Interest rates would skyrocket, instability would occur in financial markets, and the federal deficit would soar. The United States has a special responsibility to itself and the world to meet its obligations.”
However Reagan’s address did not end there; this is what Matthews omitted:
“For those who say more taxes will solve our deficit problem, they are wrong. Every time Congress increases taxes, the deficit does not decrease, spending increases . . . It’s time for a clear and consistent policy to reduce the federal budget deficit. . . . You don’t need more taxes to balance the budget. Congress needs the discipline to stop spending more, and that can be done with the passage of a constitutional amendment to balance the budget.”
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